a bit about this fine establishment : "otto has combined the elegance of an italian enoteca with the fun bustle of a crowded italian train station ... otto is perfect for a quick snack, a lingering meal, a big group, a family night out..." sign me up.
here's what i had ...

olives :

gaeta, sicilian, alfonso.

mah gal pal melissa & i are not ones to reject a healthy plate of olives. so we obviously had to order this olive trio. my faves were the green ones.

favetta :

fava bean spread on bread.
melissa & i both agreed that this was our favorite part of the meal. just so incredibly good ... fresh favas, crunchy bread, little bit o' spice.

pasta alla norma :

tomato, roasted eggplant & basil. (no cheese.)

holy red sauce. this, too, was quite tasty. my only complaint was that the noodles weren't fully cooked! and trust, i know how pasta should be cooked. but since i am a fan of hard noodles (c'mon, get your minds out of the gutter), i still enjoyed this dish.

to sum up -- now that i've been to two of infinity mario batali restaurants, i absolutely must get to more. which is always a sign of good food. i'm already planning for my next nyc trip.